Hearing aid



Jan. 17, 1956 E. w. BORN 2,731,586

HEARING AID Filed April 20, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l vlllllll nscrmn IAMPLFIIR 74 INVENTOR.

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, HEARING AID Filed April 20, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /,,r I, l I 33 4 5 437 4/ I N VEN TOR.

AWTQP/VEVF United States Patent HEARING AID Elroy W. Born, Minneapolis,Minn., a ssignor to The Maico Company, Incorporated, Minneapolis, Minn.,a corporation of Minnesota Application April 20, 1953, Serial No.349,871

4 Claims; (Cl. 317-99) My invention relates to electronic devices suchas hearing aids wherein an electronic amplifier and a battery providinga source of potential for said amplifier are enclosed within a smallcasing.

In the latest type hearing aids, the casing and parts contained thereinare so small that the batteries which provide the source of potentialfor the amplifier are so miniature that they must be quite frequentlyreplaced in order to maintain the operating efficiency of the hearingaid at or near its peak. The primary object of my invention is theprovision of novel means whereby the tiny batteries in miniature hearingaids may be quickly and easily replaced by the user.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device ofthe class above described having a drawerreceiving recess openingthrough one wall thereof, an open top drawer normally closing saidrecess, means mounting and guiding said drawer for endwise slidingmovements in said recess from an operative closed position to aninoperative open position, a terminal-equipped battery mounted in saiddrawer and removable from the open upper end thereof when said drawer isopen, said amplifier having relatively fixed terminals orientated forcooperative engagement with the terminals of said battery upon closingmovements of the drawer.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device ofthe class described wherein said drawer is likewise mounted in saidcasing for limited upwardly and downwardly movements when said drawer isformed to provide a latch shoulder adjacent its outer bottom edgeportion for engagement with the inner surface of the adjacent Wall ofthe casing when the drawer is closed and moved downwardly.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device ofthe class immediately above described in which the battery is providedwith terminals on its upper and lower portions, and in which the bottomof the drawer is in the nature of a metallic conductor which terminatesin spaced relation to the front wall of the drawer and provides saidshoulder, and in which one of said amplifier terminals engages theterminal on the upper portion of said battery and yieldingly urges saidbattery toward engagement with metallic bottom of the drawer and urgesthe drawer toward engagement of said shoulder with the inner Wall ofsaid casing and toward engagement with the other of said amplifierterminals A still further object of my invention is the provision of adevice of the class above described in further combination with yieldingmeans urging said drawer toward its inoperative exended open positionwhen said drawer is elevated against the bias of said first-mentionedyielding means, and in further combination with novel means limitingoutward movements of said drawer from said casing.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device ofthe type above described which is relatively inexpensive to produce,which is foolproof in its operation, is sturdy in construction, anddurable in use.

The above and still further objects of my invention will tion, appendedclaims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters in dicate like partsthroughout the several views:

Fig. l is a top plan view of my novel structure;

Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, some parts being broken awayand some parts being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in end elevation, some partsbeing broken away and some parts being shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a transverse view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig.2, the non-functional portions thereof being shown in end elevation;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view partly in bottom plan and partly in sectiontaken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a. fragmentary detail in section taken on the line 7---7 ofFig. 4-;

Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram;

Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of a modified form of my invention,some parts being broken away and some parts being shown in section;

Fig. 10 is a view corresponding generally to Fig. 9 but showing adiiferent position of some of the parts; and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view in bottom plan, some parts beingbroken away and some parts being shown in section.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral 1indicates in its entirety a casing of a miniature hearing aid includinga relatively shallow top 2 and a relatively deep bottom 3, each of whichis adapted to telescopically engage a portion of anintermediateinstrument mounting frame 4 formed from nylon or the like. Preferablyand as shown, top 2 is provided with a microphone opening 5, whereas thefront wall 6 is provided with a notch 7, which, together with themounting frame 4, defines an opening or recess 8. It will be seen thatthe mounting frame 4 provides an elongated generally rectangular guideand mounting means 9 for a slide element in the nature of a drawer 10.An electronic amplifier unit 11, suitably mounted in said frame 4 withinthe casing 1, has a pair of opposed terminals 12 and 13, the formerbeing in the nature of a leaf-spring 14 overlying the drawer 10 whensame is moved to its full line closed position of Fig. 4. As shown, thespring 14 is in the nature of a tongue projecting outwardly from theintermediate portion of a flat U-shaped member suitably riveted orotherwise secured to the frame 4, as indicated at 15. Also preferablyand as shown, an upturned car 116 provides a terminal lug forconnection, with a suitable connector leading directly to the amplifier11. The other terminal 13 is in the nature of a metallic guide platesuitably secured, as at 17, to the frame 4 and having a laterallyprojecting connector 18 for cooperative attachment to another lead, notshown, from the amplifier 11.

A single cell battery 19 is provided with a terminal 25), which projectsupwardly from the upper portion thereof, and a plurality of downwardlyprojecting terminals 21. As shown, the battery 19 is receivable withinthe recess 22 of a slide element in the nature of a. drawer 10, theterminals 2i of said battery being in engagement with an elongatedmetallic conductor plate 2.3, the forward end portion of which providesthe bottom 24 of the drawer 10. Rivets or the like 25 secure theelements 10 and 24 together.

As shown, the bottom forming forward portion 24 of the plate 23terminates in inwardly spaced relation to the front wall 26 of thedrawer 10 to provide a latch shoulder 27 for engagement with the innersurface 28 of the front wall 6 of the casing when the drawer 10 is movedto its closed operative position and moved downwardly, as shownparticularly by Fig. 4. As there shown, the

terminal-forming spring 12, in said position, engages the upper terminal20 of the battery 19 and yieldingly urges said battery 19 towardengagement of the lower terminals 21 with the conductor plate 23 andbiases the drawer 18 whereby to cause engagement between the shoulder 27and the inner surface 23 of the casing 1. it will be noted that theconductor plate 23 overrides and frictionally engages the amplifierterminal 13, the upwardly projecting ribs 29 of the latter causingbetter contact between said members.

It will also be noted, as shown particularly by Fig. 5, that when thedrawer it is moved to its inoperative open or extended positon, that thebottom-forming forward portion 24 of the conductor plate 23 rides uponthat portion of the wall 6 of the casing 1 forming the bottom of thenotch 7. However, when the drawer it is moved to its closed operativeposition of Fig. 4, the terminal-acting spring 14 biases the drawer 10to the lowermost limits of its movement within the recess 8. In otherwords, the

drawer 10, when in its closed operative position, is

mounted in the recess 3 for limited upward and downward movements, asillustrated by the full and dotted line positions of Fig. 4. For thepurpose of limiting outward movements of the drawer 10 beyond theposition of Figs.

2, 5 and 6, for the removal and insertion of battery 19, I

provide a pair of stop pins 30 which project upwardly through theterminal-acting guide plate 13 through closed end slots 31 in theconductor strip 23. The u per ends of the anchoring pins 30 extend intoopenings in the frame 4-. 3t) likewise pass through the laterally spacedcoiled portions 33 of a conventional torsion spring 34, the free ends 35of which extend in the direction of the drawer 10 and impart openingmovements to said drawer 19 when the drawer it is moved upwardly againstthe bias of the terminal-acting spring 1 .4. A transversely extended rib36 of the front wall 26 of the drawer 1t facilitates raising movementsof the closed drawer 10 to allow the spring 34 to impart extending oropening movements to the drawer 10.

Referring to the modified forms of the invention disclosed in Figs.9-11, inclusive, the numeral 1' indicates the casing; the numeral 4' themounting frame; and the numeral 8' the recess which is adapted toslidably receive the slide element 10'. able within a recess 22' of theslide element It). Terminal-acting leaf-spring 14 is identical to thespring 14, above described, and bears upon terminal 28' of the battery19. The opposed terminal 37 is in the nature of a leaf-spring formedintegrally with the mounting plate 38 suitably secured to the frame 4'by rivets or the like, as indicated at 39. Terminal 37 works through anopening 49 in the bottom of the slide element it) and makes frictionalengagement with the terminal-acting bottom of the battery 19 when theslide element 10' is moved to the closed operative position of Fig. 9.It will be noted that the inwardly projected end 41 of the slide element10 is provided with longitudinally extended closed end slots 42 throughwhich the pins 4-3 project, whereby to limit outward movement of theslide element It)" beyond that illustrated in Fig. 10. As in thestructure of Figs. 1-8, inclusive, the pins project upwardly through themounting plate 38, through the slots 42, and through laterally spacedcoils 33 of the torsion spring 34, and have their upper ends receivedwithin openings, not numbered, in the frame 4'. In all other respects,the structure of Figs. 911, inclusive, in the mode of operation, isidentical to the structure of Figs. 18, inclusive.

While I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, it shouldbe obvious that same is capable of modification without departure fromthe scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a hearing aid, amplifier, said casing a casing containing anelectronic having a slide-receiving recess Also, preferably and asshown, the stop pins As shown, the battery 19 is receivopening throughthe wall thereof, a slide mounted and guided for endwise slidingmovements within said opening from a retracted operative positioncompletely within the confine of the recess to an outwardly extendedinoperative position, a battery-receiving recess in said slide, aterminal-equipped battery mounted in the recess in said slide and havingterminals on its opposite sides, the slide being extendable to allowaccess to the battery externally of the casing, the amplifier havingopposed resilient terminals orientated for cooperative engagement withthe battery terminals only upon closing of the slide, and yielding meansurging said slide toward said extended inoperative position, the bottomof said slide bearing upon the adjacent wall of the casing duringextending movements thereof, said bottom being formed to provide a latchadjacent its outer end portion engageable with the inner surface of theadjacent wall of the casing when the slide is retracted, said slidebeing yieldingly urged toward engagement of said shoulder with the innersurface of said casing when said slide is moved to its operativeretracted position.

2. In a hearing air, a casing containing an electronic amplifier, saidcasing having a drawer-receiving recess opening through the wallthereof, an open top drawer normally closing said recess, means mountingand guiding said drawer for endwise sliding movements in said recessfrom an operative closed position to an inoperative open position andfor limited upward and downward movements when said drawer is closed, abattery having terminals on its top and bottom portion and providing asource of potential for said amplifier, said battery being seated insaid drawer and removable from the open top thereof when said drawer isopen, said amplifier having relatively fixed opposed terminalsorientated for cooperative engagement with the terminals of said batteryupon the closing of said drawer, said drawer having a metallic bottomwhich bears against the adjacent wall of the casing when the drawer isopen, said bottom terminating in spaced relation to the front of saiddrawer and providing a latch shoulder for engagement with the innersurface of the adjacent wall of said casing when said drawer is closedand moved downwardly, one of said amplifier terminals defining yieldingmeans engageable with the terminal on the top of said battery andbiasing said battery toward the bottom of said drawer and said drawertoward engagement of the shoulder thereof with the adjacent wall of thecasing when said drawer is closed, a portion of said mounting andguiding means including a guide plate which defines the other of saidamplifier terminals, and means yieldingly urging said drawer toward anopen inoperative position, said drawer opening under the bias of saidlastrnentioned means when the front end portion of said drawer iselevated above said shoulder against the bias of said first-mentionedyielding means.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 in which said metallic bottom ofsaid drawer slides upon said terminal-acting guide plate and serves as aconductor therebetween the bottom terminal of said battery.

4. The structure defined in claim 3 in further combination with the stopmeans positively limiting outwardly movement of said drawer, said stopmeans comprising a stop pin extending upwardly through said guide plateand engaging a portion of the bottom of said drawer, said stop pinproviding mounting means for said last-mentioned yielding means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,148,233 Carlson Feb. 21, 1939 2,580,258 Tarasuk Dec. 25, 19512,591,419 Gheorghin Apr. 1, 1952 2,691,724 Hoifman Oct. 12, 1954 FOREIGNPATENTS 631,702 Great Britain Nov. 8, 1949

